Modern automobiles include on-board computers controlling select vehicle functions and providing the vehicle and driver with various types of information. For example, on-board computers control engine, security, and some suspension functions, and facilitate communications with other vehicles and remote driver-assistance centers. As an example of such driver-assistance, the OnStar® system provides services including in-vehicle safety and security, hands-free calling, turn-by-turn navigation, and remote-diagnostics.
On-board computers also facilitate delivery to the driver of information and entertainment, which are referred to collectively herein as infotainment. Infotainment can include, for example, data related to news, weather, sports, music, and notifications about vehicle location and nearby traffic. Infotainment can be delivered in any of a wide variety of forms, including text, video, audio, and combinations of these.
Vehicle users presently select media content they wish to experience in various ways including by choosing a radio channel or compact disc to play. While vehicle users can manually select media content in these ways, the present inventors have determined that vehicle users would benefit from receiving infotainment and other media content that is customized for the vehicle user. Such custom media content could, according to the present technology, include media content identified based on media profiles of users of vehicles nearby the user's vehicle, and media content that the vehicle user has not been previously exposed to.